From Montana blogs and media: Mean people, nice people, insurance

My daughter — who is a fulltime student in Missoula, and works fulltime as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) — decided to get braces several months ago. Until Thursday, the balance remaining on her account with the orthodontist was about $3,500.

And then she got this in the mail on Saturday (from the orthodontist’s office): “Merry Christmas from an anonymous source. A payment was called in and your account is paid in full.”

Complete, absolute, total shocker. Somebody — we don’t know who — anonymously paid the entire balance. This is like those “Secret Santas” that pop up on the news each year around Christmas time.

We don’t know who performed this extremely generous and appreciated act of kindness (possibly one of the patients that she cared for recently?), but it is very much appreciated by both of us. Thank you, anonymous person. We will never forget your kindness, and we will pay it forward in some way — and hope that others will, too.

— From greaterfalls.com

As for mean people

The Western Word, Great Falls, Tuesday, by Jackie M. Brown:

I think the first time I saw the words “Mean People Suck” it was on a bumper sticker in the parking lot at a Walmart somewhere in the Midwest.

Mean people really do suck, and it’s been evident lately.

It’s always interesting to me when a major crime or event happens in or around Great Falls. The event seems to bring out the worst in people — especially those who get their bravery because they are posting from their Facebook account to the Facebook pages of the Great Falls Tribune and the one television station, KRTV, that has a strong social media program.

A few months ago a teenager was charged with raping an 11-year-old girl. It was a horrendous crime. When the teen tried to kill himself by jumping from the rotunda at the local courthouse, people basically cheered his jumping.

Recently there was a car chase in and around Great Falls. Way out here in Montana this is big news.

Anyway, the man who ran from the police was being investigated for rape. He had not been found guilty of rape, but on the social media sites he was found guilty. Before reports came out that said he killed himself, some were saying if he was shot by a police officer that was a good thing. Overall people said he was for sure guilty since he ran. Now some say he was surely guilty since he took his own life.

Of course, a few nice people post comments on the sites saying he was a person with family and friends or that we should wait for the facts. Usually those people are slammed pretty hard for not being as bloodthirsty as the rest of the people posting on the Facebook page.

A friend told me the other day that the old hang ’em high justice system has been replaced in the wild wild West. He said people get their law-and-order kicks from sounding off in the comment sections and on the Facebook pages of their local newspaper and television station, and not from using the nearest tree. That may be a good thing.

— From thewesternword.com

Deadline looms

Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Opinion, Thursday:

Amid the din of political static over the Affordable Care Act rollout, a lot of Americans have just stopped listening. But that’s a big mistake. In order to have coverage on Jan. 1, applicants need to sign up by Dec. 23. And for those who have no coverage, it would be foolish not to.

No matter what our political leanings are, let’s not lose sight what this is all about: health insurance. And we all need it.